Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole's population expanded in the decade leading up to the most recent census. Data from the census also show there were changes in housing tenure, marriage and health.

The population reached nearly 380,000

Between the last two censuses, the population of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.3%, from almost 347,000 to 379,000.

The addition of just over 32,000 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole was home to, on average, 17 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across the South West

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the South West, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

Average age stable in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

Latest census data also show that the median age of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained 41 years in the decade to 2011.

This city had a slightly lower average age than the South West and remained slightly older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 10,000 people between the ages of 20 and 29 years, while the population between 70 and 79 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 14% of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are aged between 20 and 29 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that rented privately increased from 13% to 22% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in nine (12%) households lived in social housing, compared with 11% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole households that owned their home decreased from 74% to 64%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased faster here than the figure for the whole of the South West (from 11% in 2001 to 17% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 17%.

Private renting in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 9.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 7.1% to 6.9% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 3.0% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 90%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 7.0% in 2001 to 7.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

More single people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The percentage of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole at a faster rate than in New Forest (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole).

In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the proportion of single people increased from 29% in 2001 to 35% in 2011. During the same period, the proportion in nearby New Forest increased from 22% to 25%.

Across the South West, the share of people who had never been married or in a civil partnership increased from 27% to 31%.

The proportion of married people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole fell from 50% to 45%, while the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner increased from 12% to 13%.

The proportion of people who had never married or entered a civil partnership was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were single across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 9.3% to 5.5% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that described their health as fair decreased from 24% to 14%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell here at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.5% in 2001 to 5.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole decreased by 3.8 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More people worked short hours

Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole saw the South West's second-largest rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week.

In 2011, just over 1 in 30 (3.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.2% in 2001. The percentage that worked over 49 hours in a week decreased from 13% to 9.6%.

Across the region, only Exeter saw a greater rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week (from 2.6% to 4.1%).

Every local authority area across the South West saw a rise in the proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week, as the regional average grew from 2.1% to 3.2%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, the South West and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Religion in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, 32% said they had no religion. An increase from 18% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing religious group in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

The percentage increased at a similar rate to the average across the South West (from 17% to 30%), but at a faster rate than the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole that described themselves as Christian decreased from about 250,000 in 2001 to just under 230,000 in 2011 (from 73% to 60%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from about 27,000 to about 29,000. However, as a percentage of the total population, this represented a decrease from 7.9% to 7.7%.

About 4,400 people (0.6%) said they were Muslim, up from just under 2,200 in 2001 (1.2%).

The population without a religion in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Ethnicity in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

In 2011, 94% of the local population said they were from the White ethnic groups. An increase from 98% in 2001 makes this the fastest-growing ethnic group in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

The percentage decreased by more than the average across the South West (from 98% to 95%), but at a slower rate than the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 3,100 in 2001 to about 11,000 in 2011 (from 0.9% to 2.9%). The number of residents from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 3,100 to just over 6,600 (from 0.9% to 1.8%).

Just under 2,400 people (0.3%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 1,000 in 2001 (0.6%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole decreased by 3.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that were studying increased from 3.1% to 4.1% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (52%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 51% in 2001. The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that were unemployed increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The proportion of students increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.6% in 2001 to 3.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.6% to 3.5%.

The percentage of students was higher than across the South West

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were in education across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with children decreased from 25% to 24% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just under 7 in 10 (68%) households had no children, compared with 67% in 2001. The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole with only adult children living with their parents remained close to 8.0%.

The proportion of households with children fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 28% in 2001 to 27% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 30% to 29%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care provision

The percentage of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole residents that provided at least 50 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 2.0% to 2.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing between 20 and 49 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.0%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 2.0% in 2001 to 2.4% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 2.1% to 2.4%.

The proportion of people providing 50 hours, or more, of weekly unpaid care in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole remained close to 2.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, South West and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing household dynamics

The percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which comprised a single parent, increased from 8.4% to 8.6% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29%) households had a married couple, compared with 32% in 2001. While the percentage of households in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.9% to 9.7%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the South West (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent was lower than across the South West

Percentage of households that had a single parent across local authority areas in the South West and the average across England, March 2011

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